Ceramic inkjet ink for relief effect

ABSTRACT

Disclosed are compositions, such as inkjet inks or glazes, for jetting onto a ceramic substrate, and associated methods and systems. The compositions are configured to produce a blister relief effect, wherein the incorporation of inkjet technology provides precise control over the location and degree of blistering. The enhanced compositions are configured to form gas bubbles when exposed to the elevated temperatures of a firing cycle, wherein the formed gas is trapped within the glaze, causing an expansion or blistering of the glaze, which results in a raised relief.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/333,472, filed Jul. 16, 2014, which is incorporated herein in itsentirety by this reference thereto.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

At least one embodiment of the present invention pertains to inkjet inkcompositions that produce gas bubbles when exposed to a firingtemperature, causing an expansion or blistering of the composition.

BACKGROUND

Non-uniform textured glazes are known within the traditional ceramicmanufacturing community. These textured glazes are manually applied, toproduce artistic effects, known as blister, bubble, or lava fieldeffects.

However, traditionally applied textured glazes are not efficientlyproduced within high volume production environments, and thus, are oftennot reproduced accurately from one item to another, resulting indifferences in one or more portions of the design layout, and/orresulting in differences in the blister effect.

Various effects are currently produced in ceramic inkjet processes byjetting ceramic glaze onto a workpiece, such as a tile, where the glazea composition for relief, metallic appearance, and/or gloss or matteeffects. This results in a relief that is uniform and generally wellmatched to the under-glaze upon which it is jetted. Such conventionalrelief methods can be implemented to create patterns and/or enhanceprinted images, e.g., wood grain.

In the field of inkjet ceramics, options for textured effects atporcelain firing conditions are not currently known to exist.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One or more embodiments of the present invention are illustrated by wayof example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanyingdrawings, in which like references indicate similar elements.

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of an enhanced composition that isjetted onto a ceramic substrate, wherein the enhanced compositioncomprises a carrier compound and a reduction agent.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an enhanced composition on a ceramicsubstrate, wherein the resultant ceramic workpiece is exposed to afiring temperature, and wherein the reduction agent reacts with areactive gas to cause a reduction reaction that produces gas bubbles inthe fired composition.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a printing environment for jetting acomposition onto a ceramic workpiece, wherein the composition comprisesa carrier compound and a reduction agent.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a system for heating a ceramicworkpiece having a jetted composition, wherein, when exposed to theheat, the reduction agent and a reactive gas react to produce bubbles inthe heated composition.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a method for producing a ceramic workpiecehaving an enhanced composition that produces gas bubbles when heated fora blistering effect.

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of an enhanced composition on a ceramicsubstrate, comprising a reduction agent layer jetted onto the ceramicsubstrate, and an additional layer, including a carrier compound, jettedonto the reduction agent layer.

FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of an enhanced composition on a ceramicsubstrate, comprising a first layer including a carrier compound jettedonto the ceramic substrate, and a reduction agent layer jetted onto thefirst layer.

FIG. 8 illustrates an alternate embodiment of an enhanced composition ona ceramic substrate, which can include one or more jetted layers belowand/or above the composition.

FIG. 9 shows the alternate embodiment of FIG. 8 after firing, whereingas bubbles produced in the heated enhanced composition form a raisedrelief.

FIG. 10 is a schematic block diagram of components that can be includedin some embodiments of the enhanced composition.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing a jettable enhancedcomposition for producing a blistering effect on a ceramic substrate.

FIG. 12 is a high-level block diagram showing an example of a processingdevice that can represent any of the systems described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

References in this description to an embodiment“, one embodiment”, orthe like, mean that the particular feature, function, structure orcharacteristic being described is included in at least one embodiment ofthe present invention. Occurrences of such phrases in this specificationdo not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment. On the other hand,the embodiments referred to also are not necessarily mutually exclusive.

Introduced here is a technique that produces a raised relief orblistering effect for inkjet ceramics to provide, for example, a raisedor three-dimensional effect over at least a portion of a ceramicsubstrate.

In certain embodiments, the technique introduced here involves thefollowing sequence of actions, as described more fully below. Initially,an enhanced composition is provided, which is configured to be jettedonto a ceramic substrate, e.g., a ceramic tile. The compositioncomprises a carrier compound, and a corresponding reduction agent, whichare configured to be jetted onto a ceramic substrate, i.e., a workpiece.In some embodiments, the carrier compound comprises silicon carbide(SiC). The reduction agent reacts with a reactive gas, e.g., oxygen,nitrogen, or both, during the firing of the ceramic workpiece, toproduce gas bubbles within the composition, causing a three-dimensionaleffect to be produced on the ceramic substrate. At least some of thebubbles or physical effects thereof remain in the composition after thecomposition cools to room temperature.

The oxygen or the nitrogen can be present in the carrier compound, thereduction agent, or both, such as within a reactive gas constituent,and/or can be ambient in a kiln in which the ceramic substrate is to befired.

In some embodiments, the enhanced composition can be jetted onto theceramic substrate either before or after other inks or glazes areapplied to the ceramic substrate. For instance, in some embodiments, theenhanced composition can be jetted onto the ceramic substrate eitherbefore or after a ceramic glaze is jetted onto the ceramic substrate.

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment 100 of an enhanced composition 106,e.g., an inkjet ink or glaze, on a ceramic substrate 104, wherein theenhanced composition 106 comprises a carrier compound 108 and areduction agent 110. The composition 106 can be jetted 314 (FIG. 3), 502(FIG. 5) onto the ceramic substrate 104, such as by one or more printheads 306 (FIG. 3). The ceramic workpiece 102 is subsequently fired,causing a reduction reaction 204 (FIG. 2) between the reduction agent110 and a reactive gas 408 (FIG. 4), to cause gas bubbles 208 (FIG. 2)to be formed, creating a blistering effect 210 (FIG. 2). The reactivegas 408, e.g., oxygen or nitrogen, can be present in the carriercompound 108, the reduction agent 110, or both, such as within areactive gas constituent 1012 (FIG. 10), and/or is ambient in a kiln 404(FIG. 4) in which the ceramic workpiece 102 is to be fired 504 (FIG. 5).

While the substrate 104 is generally described herein as a ceramicsubstrate 104, it should be understood that the technique can besuitably adapted for a wide variety of workpieces 104 that can be fired,e.g., tiles such as ceramics, which can be manufactured from clay,minerals and water, or porcelain, which can be manufactured from finelyground sand.

In some embodiments, the carrier compound 108 comprises water. In anembodiment of the enhanced composition 106, the reduction agent 110 ischosen to produce gas bubbles 208 for a blistering effect 210, such asbased on the other constituents in the enhanced composition 106, thefiring process 504, and/or the heating environment 404 to be used. Insome embodiments of the enhanced composition 106, the reduction agent110 can comprise any of SiO, SiC, SiN, or BN.

For instance, silicon carbide (SiC) is one such material capable ofundergoing the chemical reaction required to produce the blisteringeffect 210. SiC provides a very hard performance material, with highchemical and temperature resistances.

At the required kiln temperatures for ceramic processes, and in thepresence of oxygen, SiC breaks down into silicon dioxide (SiO₂), aprimary component already present in glaze formulations, and carbondioxide gas (CO₂). In this example, the creation of carbon dioxide gasbubbles 208 causes the blister effect 210, upon the application ofsufficient heat. This exemplary reaction is shown as:

SIC+2O_(2(gas))→SiO₂+CO_(2(Blister Effect)).  (1)

In some embodiments, the enhanced jettable composition 106 comprises aninkjet ink, which can be jetted onto the ceramic substrate 104, on itsown, or before and/or after a glaze, e.g., 802, 804 (FIG. 8) is appliedto a ceramic substrate 104. The amount of the enhanced composition 106jetted onto the ceramic substrate 104 can control the magnitude of theblistering effect 210.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram 200 of an enhanced composition 106(FIG. 1) on a ceramic substrate 102, wherein the workpiece 102 isexposed to a firing temperature 202, and wherein the reduction agent 110reacts with a reactive gas 408 (FIG. 4), e.g., oxygen, nitrogen, orboth, to produce gas bubbles 208 within the composition 106, causing athree-dimensional effect 210 to be produced on the ceramic substrate104. The reactive gas 408 can be present in the carrier compound 108,the reduction agent 110, or both, such as within a reactive gasconstituent 1012 (FIG. 10), and/or can be ambient in a kiln 404 (FIG. 4)in which the ceramic substrate 104 is to be fired.

The substrate 104 can comprise a variety of ceramics 104 that can befired in any temperature range that corresponds to the reductionreaction 204. In some embodiments of the enhanced composition 106, thefiring temperature 202, as when controlled within a kiln 404 (FIG. 4)has a range of 1050 degrees C. to 1300 degrees C. The jetted composition106 on the ceramic substrate 104 can form a glaze 206 as a result of thefiring 504 (FIG. 5). The specific production of gas bubbles 208 and theblistering effect 210 can depend on a variety of operational parameters,e.g., specific temperatures, firing schedules, temperature ramping,down-firing, etc., and/or the use of one or more additional constituentsin the composition 106, such as pigments 1006 (FIG. 10), dyes 1008 (FIG.10), and/or other additives, dispersions, or particles 1010 (FIG. 10).

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram 300 of an printing system 302 for jetting314 a composition 106 onto a ceramic workpiece 104, wherein thecomposition 106 comprises a carrier compound 108 and a reduction agent110. The printing system 302 seen in FIG. 3 includes a print headassembly 304, comprising one or more print heads 306 havingcorresponding jets 312. A supply assembly 308 is connected to the printheads 306, whereby the composition 106 can be transferred to the printheads 306, for jetting 314 onto a ceramic substrate 104, such ascontrolled by a print controller 310, typically in response to areceived print job 311.

In operation, the printing system 302 allows precise control over thelocation of the jetted composition 106, the reduction reaction 204, theproduction of gas bubbles 208, and the resultant blistering effect orraised relief 210, such as to provide a random digital technique forthree-dimensional texturing or blistering 210.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram 400 of a firing system 402 for heating aceramic workpiece 102 having a jetted composition 106 (FIG. 3), whereinwhen exposed to sufficient heat, the reduction agent 110 reacts with areactive gas 408 408, e.g., oxygen, nitrogen, or both, to produce gasbubbles 208 within the composition 106, causing a three-dimensionaleffect 210 to be produced on the ceramic substrate 104. The reactive gas408 can be present in the carrier compound 108, the reduction agent 110,or both, and/or can be ambient in the kiln 404 in which the ceramicsubstrate 104 is to be fired 504 (FIG. 5).

The kiln 404 seen in FIG. 4 has an interior 406 defined therein, and aheating system 410, such as under control of a firing controller 408,wherein the heating system 410 comprises a heat source, and canadditionally comprise a mechanism for air circulation, e.g., a fan. Thefiring system 402 is operable to heat the jetted ceramic workpiece 102to a firing temperature 202, such as greater than 1000 degrees C., orwithin a temperature range, e.g., 1050 degrees C. to 1300 degrees C., toproduce gas bubbles 208 within the composition 106, causing athree-dimensional effect 210 to be produced on the ceramic substrate104. At least some of the bubbles 208 or physical effects 210 thereofremain in the composition 106 after the composition 106 cools to roomtemperature. As well, the jetted composition 106 on the workpiece 102can form a glaze 206 (FIG. 2) as a result of the firing 504.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a method 500 for producing an enhanced ceramicworkpiece 102. The method 500 comprises jetting 502 an enhancedcomposition 106 onto a ceramic substrate 104, wherein the enhancedcomposition 106 comprises a carrier compound 108 and a reduction agent110. The jetted ceramic workpiece 102 is then heated to a firingtemperature 202, to initiate a reduction reaction 204 between thereduction agent 110 and a reactive gas 408, causing gas bubbles 208 tobe produced in the enhanced composition 106, wherein the gas bubbles 208can be trapped within the enhanced composition 106, producing ablistering effect 210. The ceramic workpiece 102 is then cooled 506,wherein at least some of the bubbles 208 or physical effects 210 thereofremain in the composition 106 after the composition 106 cools to roomtemperature.

In some embodiments of the technique, the carrier compound 108 and thereduction agent 110 can be supplied as a single composition 106, such aswithin an appropriate jettable carrier 1002 (FIG. 10), e.g., water,whereby the carrier compound 108 and the reduction agent 110 are jetted502 concurrently onto the ceramic substrate 104. However, otherembodiments of the technique allow separate jetting of a carriercompound 108 and the reduction agent 110, as long as the reduction agent110 comes into contact the reactive gas 408 during the heating 504, toinitiate the reduction reaction 204 between the reduction agent 110 andthe reactive gas 408. In such embodiments, the reduction agent 110 maybe jetted within its own carrier 1002 (FIG. 10).

For example, FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment 600 of an enhancedcomposition 106 on a ceramic substrate 104, wherein the enhancedcomposition 106 comprises a layer 602 of reduction agent 110 that isjetted 502 onto the ceramic substrate 104, and an additional layer 604,including a carrier compound 108, which is jetted 502 onto the jettedlayer 602 of the reduction agent 110.

As a further example, FIG. 7 shows an embodiment 700 of an enhancedcomposition 106 on a ceramic substrate 104, wherein the enhancedcomposition 106 comprises a layer 604, including a carrier compound 108,which is jetted 502 onto the ceramic substrate 104, and a layer 602 ofreduction agent 110 that is jetted 502 onto the jetted layer 604.

FIG. 8 illustrates an alternate embodiment 800 of an enhancedcomposition 106 on a ceramic substrate 104, which can include one ormore jetted layers below 802 and/or above 804 the composition 106. Forexample, a jetted lower layer 802 can comprise any of a glaze, primer, abasecoat, and/or one or more jetted colors. Similarly, a jetted upperlayer 804 may comprise one or more jetted clear, translucent or opaquecolor layers, e.g., glazes, over at least a portion of the jettedcomposition 106. In some embodiments of the technique, the additionallayers 802 and 804 are jetted by one or more print heads 306 of theprinting system 302.

FIG. 9 provides an illustrative 900 of the embodiment of FIG. 8 afterfiring 504, wherein gas bubbles 208 produced in the fired composition206 form one or more raised reliefs 210. As also seen in FIG. 9, theraised reliefs 210 can be at least partially covered by an outer jettedlayer 804, e.g., an outer glaze, or can be uncovered.

FIG. 10 is a schematic block diagram 1000 of components that can beincluded in some embodiments of the enhanced composition 106. Asdiscussed above, the carrier compound 108 and the reduction agent 110can be supplied as a single composition 106, such as with an appropriatecarrier 1002. The combined composition 106 can further comprise furthercomponents, such as any of colorants 1004, e.g., pigments 1006 and/ordyes 1008, or other constituents, such as reactive gas constituents1012, i.e., sources for the reactive gas 408, or additives, dispersions,and/or jettable particles 1010.

As also discussed above, some embodiments of the technique allow forseparate jetting of the carrier compound 108 and the reduction agent110, whereby both the carrier compound 108 and the reduction agent 110are supplied as jettable compositions, e.g., each within a correspondingcarrier 1002. One of or both the carrier compound 108 and the reductionagent 110 can also comprise further components, such as any of colorants1004, e.g., pigments 1006 and/or dyes 1008, or other constituents, suchas reactive gas constituents 1012, i.e., sources for the reactive gas408, or additives, dispersions, and/or jettable particles 1010.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a method 1100 for manufacturing an enhancedcomposition 106 for jetting 502 onto a ceramic substrate 104. As seen inFIG. 11, the manufacture 1102 can comprise adding 1104 a jettablecarrier compound 108 to a carrier 1002, such as water. The manufacturingmethod 1100 seen in FIG. 11 also comprises adding 1106 a jettablereduction agent 110 to either its own carrier 1002, or to the carrier1002 for the carrier compound 108. The manufactured composition 106 isthen typically packaged, distributed, delivered and stored 308 (FIG. 3),as either a combined composition 106, or as separate carrier andreduction agent solutions, for jetting 502 and curing 504, to produceraised relief or blistering effects 210 on ceramic substrates 104,wherein reduction agent 110 reacts with a reactive gas 404 to producegas bubbles when heated to a firing temperature of the ceramicsubstrate. In some embodiments, the reduction agent 110 comprises any ofSiO, SiC, SiN, or BN, or any combination thereof.

The carrier 1002 for the reduction agent 110 can be a separate carrier1002 than that used for the carrier compound 108, such as forindependent jetting 502 of layers 602,604 (FIG. 6, FIG. 7). In someembodiments, the jettable reduction agent 110 is added to the samecarrier 1002 as that used for the jettable carrier compound 108, such asto provide concurrent jetting 502 of the enhanced composition 106. Onceprepared, the enhanced composition 106, comprising either a singlecomposition 106, or separate jettable components 108, 110, is typicallyprovided for use by the printing system 302 (FIG. 3).

FIG. 12 is a high-level block diagram showing an example of a processingdevice 1200 that can represent any of the systems described above, suchas the printing system 302, the firing system 402, or a system formanufacturing the enhanced composition 106. Any of these systems mayinclude two or more processing devices such as represented in FIG. 12,which may be coupled to each other via a network or multiple networks.

In the illustrated embodiment, the processing system 1200 includes oneor more processors 1202, memory 1204, a communication device 1206, andone or more input/output (I/O) devices 1208, all coupled to each otherthrough an interconnect 1210. The interconnect 1210 may be or includeone or more conductive traces, buses, point-to-point connections,controllers, adapters and/or other conventional connection devices. Theprocessor(s) 1202 may be or include, for example, one or moregeneral-purpose programmable microprocessors, microcontrollers,application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable gatearrays, or the like, or a combination of such devices. The processor(s)1202 control the overall operation of the processing device 1200. Memory1204 may be or include one or more physical storage devices, which maybe in the form of random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM)(which may be erasable and programmable), flash memory, miniature harddisk drive, or other suitable type of storage device, or a combinationof such devices. Memory 1204 may store data and instructions thatconfigure the processor(s) 1202 to execute operations in accordance withthe techniques described above. The communication device 1206 may be orinclude, for example, an Ethernet adapter, cable modem, Wi-Fi adapter,cellular transceiver, Bluetooth transceiver, or the like, or acombination thereof. Depending on the specific nature and purpose of theprocessing device 1200, the I/O devices 1208 can include devices such asa display (which may be a touch screen display), audio speaker,keyboard, mouse or other pointing device, microphone, camera, etc.

Unless contrary to physical possibility, it is envisioned that (i) themethods/steps described above may be performed in any sequence and/or inany combination, and that (ii) the components of respective embodimentsmay be combined in any manner.

The jetting, firing, and/or manufacturing techniques introduced abovecan be implemented by programmable circuitry programmed/configured bysoftware and/or firmware, or entirely by special-purpose circuitry, orby a combination of such forms. Such special-purpose circuitry (if any)can be in the form of, for example, one or more application-specificintegrated circuits (ASICs), programmable logic devices (PLDs),field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), etc.

Software or firmware to implement the techniques introduced here may bestored on a machine-readable storage medium and may be executed by oneor more general-purpose or special-purpose programmable microprocessors.A “machine-readable medium”, as the term is used herein, includes anymechanism that can store information in a form accessible by a machine(a machine may be, for example, a computer, network device, cellularphone, personal digital assistant (PDA), manufacturing tool, any devicewith one or more processors, etc.). For example, a machine-accessiblemedium includes recordable/non-recordable media, e.g., read-only memory(ROM); random access memory (RAM); magnetic disk storage media; opticalstorage media; flash memory devices; etc.

Note that any and all of the embodiments described above can be combinedwith each other, except to the extent that it may be stated otherwiseabove or to the extent that any such embodiments might be mutuallyexclusive in function and/or structure.

Although the present invention has been described with reference tospecific exemplary embodiments, it will be recognized that the inventionis not limited to the embodiments described, but can be practiced withmodification and alteration within the spirit and scope of the appendedclaims. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regardedin an illustrative sense rather than a restrictive sense.

What is claimed is:
 1. A composition for application of a visual ortextural effect to a ceramic substrate, the composition comprising: acarrier compound that is jettable onto the ceramic substrate; and areduction agent which, when mixed with the carrier compound and heatedto a firing temperature, produces gas bubbles in the carrier compound,wherein the gas bubbles cause the heated composition to rise, producinga raised relief on the ceramic substrate, wherein the raised reliefremains after the composition cools to room temperature.
 2. Thecomposition of claim 1, wherein the carrier compound includes a pigment.3. The composition of claim 1, wherein the produced gas bubbles areformed and trapped within the composition when exposed to the firingtemperature.
 4. The composition of claim 3, wherein the trapped gasbubbles create a three-dimensional effect on the ceramic substrate. 5.The composition of claim 1, wherein the reduction agent is jettable ontothe ceramic substrate before the carrier compound.
 6. The composition ofclaim 1, wherein the reduction agent is jettable onto the ceramicsubstrate after the carrier compound.
 7. The composition of claim 1,wherein the carrier compound and the reduction agent comprise a singlesolution that is jettable onto the ceramic substrate.
 8. The compositionof claim 1, wherein the firing temperature is greater than 1000 degreesC.
 9. The composition of claim 1, wherein the firing temperature has arange of 1050 degrees C. to 1300 degrees C.
 10. The composition of claim1, wherein the reduction agent is reactive with oxygen, nitrogen, orboth.
 11. The composition of claim 10, wherein the oxygen or thenitrogen is present in the carrier compound, the reduction agent, orboth.
 12. The composition of claim 10, wherein the oxygen or thenitrogen is ambient in a kiln in which the ceramic substrate is to befired.
 13. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition comprisesa glaze.
 14. The composition of claim 1, wherein the reduction agentcomprises silicon.
 15. The composition of claim 1, wherein the reductionagent comprises any of SiO, SiC, SiN, or BN.
 16. The composition ofclaim 1, wherein the amount of the reduction agent is controllable tovary the production of the gas bubbles.
 17. The composition of claim 1,wherein the ceramic substrate includes a jetted layer applied thereon,and wherein the composition that includes the carrier compound and thereduction agent are located on top of the jetted layer.
 18. Thecomposition of claim 17, wherein the jetted layer comprises any of aglaze, a primer, a basecoat, or a colored layer.
 19. The composition ofclaim 1, in which an upper layer is jettable over at least a portion ofthe compound before the heating.
 20. The composition of claim 19,wherein the upper layer includes any of a clear layer, a translucentlayer, or an opaque layer.
 21. A composition for application of a visualor textural effect to a ceramic substrate, the composition comprising: acarrier compound that is jettable onto the ceramic substrate; and areduction agent which, when mixed with the carrier compound and heatedto a firing temperature having a range of 1050 degrees C. to 1300degrees C., produces gas bubbles in the carrier compound, wherein thegas bubbles cause the heated composition to rise, producing a raisedrelief on the ceramic substrate, wherein the raised relief remains afterthe composition cools to room temperature.
 22. A product, comprising: aceramic substrate; a carrier compound that is jettably applied onto theceramic substrate; and a reduction agent which, when mixed with thecarrier compound and heated to a firing temperature having a range of1050 degrees C. to 1300 degrees C., produces gas bubbles in the carriercompound, wherein the gas bubbles cause the heated composition to rise,producing a raised relief on the ceramic substrate, wherein the raisedrelief remains after the composition cools to room temperature.